Shandong Taishan finished their AFC Champions League trip on March 15th and will host Shenhua on March 31st in the league. Soccer Daily commented that from the AFC Champions League to the Chinese Super League, Taishan needs to change three things.
Foreign aid configuration adjustment is the top priority. The Asian Championship has come to an end, and the league has just begun. If Taishan team wants to win the championship in the domestic field, can not be long only with a foreign aid. For Taishan, the strengthening of the summer transfer window is imperative. One of the key tasks in the future is to prepare for reinforcements, and the first priority is of course to solve the problem of the funds needed for reinforcements.
Secondly, the defense still needs to be summarized. The 6 matches and 12 goals conceded against Japan are proof enough of Taishan's unstable defense against high level opponents. In the new season of the Chinese Super League (CSL), each team usually has four foreigners in the midfield and front, or even an attacking trident, which puts a higher demand on Taishan, who conceded the fewest goals in the CSL last season;
The last problem is the substitution details. In both rounds of the AFC Champions League Quarterfinals, Taishan conceded goals after substitutes came on the field, i.e., the new players on the field were not coordinated with the players who were originally present in terms of mentality, game tempo, and status. In this regard, Coach Cui may also need to consider the adaptability of Chinese players in different positions. Positional adjustments of frontcourt players are more forgiving, while backcourt players should be moved more cautiously.
In addition, there is another "constant" for Taishan: firstly, we should continue to show the mentality of a strong team, do not belittle ourselves, and dare to confront our opponents head-on, which is a big gain for Taishan in the AFC Champions League; secondly, Taishan should always insist on strong high-pressure robberies. Certainly, in the Chinese Super League, Taishan can better link high level robberies and counterattacks with better seamlessness; another thing to insist on is the pace of the game, including the intensity of the game. The only way to put more pressure on opponents is to play against a fast-paced game.
